Ryoma X Reina

Chapter II: Exploring Tokyo - Day 1

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, alerted, and faved me so far! Such acts mean so much to me. My profile could also use some viewing! Hehe. My other words ( I have 2 other fem! Ryoma fics) and fanarts (like the coverpages) might interest you. ^^

Disclaimer: I WISH I own Price of Tennis

...

"So... how did the media take it?" Sakuno asked out of nowhere.

"They didn't. We were probably already here when they found out we were gone." Reina, who seemed to have developed a certain sense that alarmed her when to start listening to the brunette, lazily replied. That and, although she didn't know, her parents used their influence to get out of the country without anyone knowing. Their house in the US, after all, was paparazzi-proof. And well, uninvited media people in general. It wasn't particularly hard to disappear undetected.

Sakuno 'Oohhed' at her answer and then, out of curiosity, asked, "How do you think they would've reacted?"

"They'll make a fuss, I'm sure. But me being a 'rising star' or a 'child prodigy' would be a small part of it. The headlines would probably be 'The third prodigy of the samurai clan retires!' or something like that."

"You underestimate yourself." Sakuno pronounced.

"No, I don't. " Reina replied with certainty.

"If you say so..." The brunette shrugged, aware of how stubborn she could get. "...so where do you want to go?"

"The tennis courts."

Sakuno giggled at the immediate answer.

"I shouldn't have asked."

...

They hopped on the commuter train and sat side-by-side. There were relatively few passengers that day so they could have ample space between them. But just when Sakuno was about to open a topic, 3 high school students entered the train and positioned themselves standing on the train's isle. Sakuno thought it was awkward to have a conversation right in front of the very intimidating looking boys, so they stayed quiet the whole trip.

Well, almost.

It started out as a peaceful trip for Reina, since she could easily tune out all the noise from the older boys. But then a member of the trio, who had long brown fly-away hairstyle accompanied by a below average face, started bragging about tennis. Reina ignored them at first since she did want to avoid unnecessary conflicts, she loved tennis and she liked sending guys like these who blemish the fine, fine image of her love to the deepest parts of hell; but she wasn't a war freak.

Since then, she perpetually tried to coax herself, and she was almost successful, too... then the monkey-faced guy started touching more of her nerves.

It was when the annoying guy suddenly demonstrated his false 'knowledge' of tennis grips, with the racket getting much too close to her best friend's face. And Sakuno, being a timid (most of the time) girl, couldn't say anything.

"Oi. Monkey-face." She called looking straight at the demonstrating teen. "Tennis rackets are used to hit tennis balls, not faces." She stated, looking indifferent as always.

The monkey's eye twitched in annoyance and was about to say something lame when one of his friends unknowingly saved him (from humiliation for the time being, anyway) by telling him to calm down.

"Oh. What's that crawling in your right arm?" She asked feigning innocence. The monkey immediately dropped the racket and searched frantically for whatever was crawling in his arm.